Railroad-crossing signal



Sept 2 1924. 1,507,229

J. TSCHUMPER RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed March 28, 1924 2 Shoots-Shut 1 Snow: 1 fez Sept. 2 1924. 2,507,229

J. TsdHuMPER RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed March 28 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN TSCHUMPER, OF CARLTON, KANSAS.

RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed March 28, 1924.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JonN TsoHUMrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carlton, in the county of Dickinson and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Railroad- Crossing Signal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway crossing signals.

An important object of the invention is to provide a railway signal which may be actuated by the wheels of a train and adapted to warn pedestrians approaching the crossing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is so constructed as to wave an arm carrying a signal sometime previous to the arrival of the train.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is extremely simple, yet durable in construction and efficient for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same: I 3

Figure 1 's a top plan view of the device embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 4L4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 generally designates the usual type of railroad tie and 11 the rails comprising the track. In Figure 2 I have illustrated a partial side elevation of a car truck denoted by the numeral 12. In carrying out my invention I provide a supporting block 13 which takes the place of one of the ties and is somewhat larger in construction. I

My invention comprises a rectangular base plate 14 preferably secured across a Serial No. 702.550.

pair of ties and having a rectangular opening 15 formed in the central portion thereof. An arcuate contact plate 16 is movably mounted above the baseplate 14 and carries a plurality of bolts 17 which are rigidly secured to the arcuate contact plate 16 by means of counter-sunk heads as shown at 18 and collars 19, formed below the plate and adapted to prevent movement of the bolts in relation to the said arcuate plate. It is obvious that other fastening means may be employed if found desirable without aifecting the operation of my invention and therefore I do not wish to restrict myself to this method of securing the bolts to the contact plate.

The lower extremities of the bolts 17 are screw-threaded and are movably mounted within suitable openings formed in the base plate, nuts being mounted on the lower extremities of the bolts to prevent displacement of the same. A plurality of coiled compression springs 20 are positioned about the bolts 17 between the arcuate plate 16 and base plate 14 and adapted to retain the arcuate plate 16 flush with the rail 11.

In order to prevent the accumulation of dirt or the like between the plates 14 and 16 I provide a metallic casing 21 composed of. a side plate 22 and end plates 23, the easing being secured to the ties by means of a flange plate 24 formed on the sides of the plate 22, the flange plate being provided with openings to permit the attaching of bolt-s and mounting of nuts for rigidly retaining the casing upon the ties.

An arcuate crank 25 is pivotally mounted between the rail and easing side plate 22, the crank may be constructed in channel form as shown or any suitable manner and adapted to swing about a pivot pin 26 suitably mounted in the rails and side plates of the casing.- The upper extremity of the crank 25 carries a roller 27 rotatably mounted on a roller pin 28 secured to the sides of the channel shaped crank, theroller being in contact with the under side of the arcuate plate 16. The lower extremity of the crank 25 carries an extension rod 29 which is firmly secured to the crank while the other extremity is square in cross section and adapted to retain thereon a rectangular lever 30 which is held in position by means of a cotter pin 31 or the like. The upper extremity of the lever 30 is bifurcated and is provided with aligned openings, the

bifurcated extension being adapted to receive one extremity of an operating rod 32 which is pivotally fastened to the lever 30 by means of a bolt 33.

A substantially U-shaped rod 34 is mounted on one extremity of the supporting block 13 and journaled thereto by means of bearing plates 35. The outer'extremity of the rod 34 has an extension arm 36 formed thereon, the extremity thereof being bent at right angles and adapted to support a signal or sign 37. The other extremity of the rod 34 has a crank 37 formed thereon provided with a loop 38 at the extremity thereof. One extremity of the operating rod 32 is connected through the said loop 39 and aetuates the rod 34 thereby.

In order to normally retain the extension arm 36 in a forward position I provide a coiled tension spring 40 one extremity thereof being secured to an eye-bolt 41 secured to the supporting block 13 while the other extremity of the spring 40 is connected with the loop 39 formed on the extremity of the crank 37 thereby normally forcing the crank to be retained in the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The operation of the device is as follows: As the train approaches the actuating portion of the device which is positioned a suitable distance from the crossing in order to warn pedestrians in time to avoid the vehicle, the wheels, as shown in Figure- 2 and denoted by the numeral 12 must necessarily pass over the arcuate plate 14 as shown in the dotted position in Figure 2, the'fianges coming in contact with the arcuate plate and forcing the same down wardly. It is'obvious that this will cause the roller and the upper extremity of the crank 25 to be rotated about the pivot pin and force the connecting lever away from the signaling element thereby causing the crank 38 formed on the U-shaped rod 34 to .be drawn in an upward position causing a like movement to be imparted to the extension arm 36 carrying the signal and warning pedestrians of the approaching train. As each wheel flange passes over the arcuate plate this movement is repeated and the signal is waved rather rapidly during the passage of the train over the crossing and even for some distance before the train reaches the crossing. It is also conceivable to employ lights upon the signal arm for night service, various forms of lighting devices may be employed such as electric or the like in order to illuminate the the spirit or the scope of this invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A device of the character described comprising, an actuating element composed of a yieldable plate, a crank pivoted beneath the plate and actuated thereby, a signal arm journaled in. a supporting block, a crank formed on the extremity of the signal arm, an operating rod connecting the said signal arm crank and actuating crank, a sign se-v cured to the extremity of the signal arm, and a spring secured to the signal arm crank to retain same in a forward position.

2. A device of the character described comprising, a railway crossing signal of the character described, comprising, a yieldable contact plate, means for preventing displacement of the said plate, a swinging crank mounted below the said yieldable plate, a roller mounted on one extremity of the crank and adapted to engage the lower side of the yieldable plate, a U-shaped rod mounted upon the supporting block, a

swinging signal arm formed on the extremity of the Ushaped rod, a signal mounted on the extremity of the. signal arm, a crank formed on the other extremity of the U- shaped rod, an operating rod adapted to join the said U-shaped rod crank and swinging roller crank, a coil spring secured to the U-shaped rod crank and adapted to normally retain same in an inclined position.

3. A railway signal comprising, a base plate, an arcuate yielding plate mounted above the base plate, a plurality of bolts secured to the yielding plate adapted to prevent jdisplacement of the same, a swinging crank pivoted below the arcuate yielding plate, a roller mounted on the upper extremity of the said crank and adapted to be in contact with the arcuate plate, a U- shaped rod journaled on a supporting block, a connecting crank formed onone extremity of the U-shaped rod, an operating rod secured to the connecting crank andthe swinging roller crank, an extension arm formed on the other extremity of the U-shaped rod, a signal secured to the extremity of the ex tension arm, and acoil spring one end there of being secured to the supporting block and the other end fastened to the connecting crank for normal-1y retaining the same in an inclined position.

4. A railway crossing signal-comprising, a base plate positioned transversely across the ties of a track adjacent the rails, an arcuate contact plate, a plurality of bolts rigidly secured to the said contact plates the lower extremities of the bolts being adapted to fit into suitable openings in the base plate, coil springs positioned about the said bolts between the base plate and. arcuate contact plate, nuts secured to the lower extreinities of the bolts to prevent displacement thereof, a casing member adapted to enclose the side about the contact and base plates, means for securing the casing member to the ties, an arcuate crank pivotally mounted between the casing sides and rails, a roller rotatably mounted on the upper extremity of the said arcuate crank, an extension rod secured to the lower extremity of the arcuate crank, an angular lever secured to the extremity of the said extension rod, a U-shaped rod rotatably secured to a supporting block, an extension arm formed on one extremity of the U-shaped rod, the extremity of the extension arm being curved and adapted to retain a signal thereon, a signal plate or light mounted upon the extremity of the extension arm, an operating crank formed on the other extremity of the U-shaped rod, an operating rod secured to the angular lever and operating crank, and a coil spring fastened to the supporting block and to the actuating crank and adapted to retain same normally in a forward position.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature in the presence of tWo witnesses. JOHN TSCHUMPER.

l/Vitnesses l VILLIAM F INN, R. M. HORNUNG. 

